The present invention relates to an emergency escape device. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which provides an escape route from a fire, especially in a burning building or from the hold of a ship.
When fire-fighters enter a burning building and are preoccupied with saving lives, it is easy for them to get disoriented and lose their sense of direction. In conditions of darkness and heavy smoke, firemen are especially likely to become disoriented, particularly if they are inexperienced and have received minimal training in fighting fires. Under these same conditions, occupants of the building have the same problems.
There exists, then, a real and urgent need to provide a device which is capable of directing a person away from the fire and toward safety. The present invention addresses this need and provides a solution for this problem. The invention is particularly useful for volunteer fire-fighters, inexperienced fire-fighters, and crewmen on a seagoing vessel or platform at sea.